Loading, please wait...
LOT 1359
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Cross
5TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
3 1/8 in. (32.3 grams, 79 mm).
Piriform body with raised rim around the filler hole and tapering nozzle, low-relief linear slashes to the shoulder, and low basal ring. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a collection of lamps of a late Scottish gentleman, 1970-1990s.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 1359
Byzantine Terracotta Slipper Oil Lamp with Cross
Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
-
Byzantine Period Terracotta Oil Lamp with Triangular Handle
Circa 5th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Circular body with a wide nozzle, filler hole with a raised square border with a band of pellets below, a wide triangular handle at the rear with three raised vertical bands behind, and a low basal ring. 93.6 grams, 10.1 cm
From the collection of a Yorkshire, UK gentleman, items collected in the Holy Land in the 1960s. -
Byzantine Bronze Plaque with Warrior Saint
Circa 6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
Rectangular with rounded corners and pierced lug to each short side; low-relief scene with a horseman brandishing a spear against an infantryman with spear and shield; foliage and baseline. 8.82 grams, 58 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Piriform in profile with a domed filler hole, linear decoration; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 513 grams, 12.2 cm
From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια, where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.
